Assignments

This private equity backed engineering and property services business requires a Finance Director to join a team focused on growing the business and ultimately securing an exit for the investors. 

The ideal Finance Director will constructively challenge the CEO and management team and be capable of contributing to the growth and strategic development of the business in areas outside of the remit of the finance function.

• As a main Board Director lead and take overall responsibility for all aspects of the finance department;
• Reposition the finance department to be more aligned with the commercial activities of the Group, identifying any gaps or weaknesses, and take appropriate action to strengthen the department;
• Develop and implement a dashboard of KPIs that provide early signals on performance and highlight potential commercial opportunities;
• Identify potential external risks, highlighting both direct threats and indirect/lateral threats to determine possible impacts and what action is required to mitigate or transform these into potential opportunities. This will cover industry, customer, and new opportunities;
• Drive improvement of the financial systems and controls;
• Manage relationships with Investors and Banks and liaise with external auditors and advisors;
• Coordinate and prepare all statutory reporting (including appropriateness of accounting policies), monthly management accounts, cash and performance forecasts in addition to presenting the financial information in the monthly Board packs to the Board;

Skills and experience:

• Degree educated from a top/recognised institution with a professional accountancy qualification (ACA or similar) and a proven track record in previous CFO/FD roles;
• Gravitas, credibility, independence, strength of character and be highly commercial. Comfortable representing the business to customers as a non-salesman advocate and influencer as well as challenging the business itself on commercial matters;
• Experience of operating in Private Equity backed businesses or in a business that has a leveraged financial structure is highly desirable;
• Strategic ability with strong execution skills and the ability to see broad issues affecting the future of the company, and recommend programmed actions accordingly.